The present invention relates generally to articulated limbs for figure toys and, more particularly, to an articulated limb assembly for a figure toy which allows an articulated limb to be rotated about three different axes for the purpose of posing the limb.
In the past, figure toys have used a variety of joints for the purpose of allowing articulated limbs to be moved or rotated in different ways. For example, a number of U.S. patents disclose articulated limbs coupled to the torso of figure toys in order to allow the limbs to be rotated about one axis: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,268,991 issued to Cotey et al on May, 26, 1981; 4,186,517 issued to Kuhn et al on Feb. 5, 1980; 3,994,092 issued to Sapkus et al on Nov. 30, 1976; 3,986,295 issued to Keller on Oct. 19, 1976; 3,731,426 issued to Lewis et al on May 8, 1973; 3,713,252 issued to Bear et al on Jan. 30, 1973; 3,648,405 issued to Tepper on Mar. 14, 1972; 3,611,625 issued to Sloop et al on Oct. 12, 1971; 3,277,601 issued to Ryan on Oct. 11, 1966; 3,147,566 issued to Ong on Sept. 8, 1964; 2,925,684 issued to Hausser et al on Feb. 23, 1960; and 2,663,971 issued to Ippolito on Dec. 29, 1953. Other U.S. patents disclose articulated joints which rotate about two axes: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,279,099 issued to Dyer et al on July 21, 1981; 3,988,855 issued to Crabtree et al on Nov. 2, 1976; 3,701,215 issued to Marason, Jr. et al on Oct. 31, 1972; 3,628,282 issued to Johnson et al on Dec. 21, 1971; 3,357,610 issued to Quinby, Jr. on Dec. 12, 1967; 3,350,812 issued to Lindsay et al on Nov. 7, 1967; 3,234,689 issued to Ryan on Feb. 15, 1966; and 2,632,586 issued to Barrango on Mar. 24, 1953.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,129,421 issued to Hales on Sept. 6, 1938 discloses the use of ball and socket joints located inside a manikin made out of sponge rubber or similar elastic material. A variety of different manikin joints are described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,649,806 issued to Monaghan on Aug. 25, 1953. U.S. Pat. No. 3,716,942 issued to Garcia on Feb. 20, 1973 discloses an articulated arm coupled to the torso of a figure toy so that the arm may be rotated about two axes adjacent the shoulder portion of the torso. An armature provided with a tensioned, detented connector was located inside a portion of the arm permitting rotation about the longitudinal axis of that portion of the arm.
None of the above patents discloses an economical articulated limb assembly which allows the articulated limbs of a hollow figure toy to be rotated about three axes adjacent to where the limbs are coupled to the hollow torso of the figure toy. Such an assembly would be particularly useful for the purpose of coupling articulated plastic limbs to the hollow plastic torso of a figure toy. Limbs coupled in this manner may be rotated about three different axes for the purpose of posing the limbs.